I'm not a huge fan of scales. I'd like them a lot better if they were only used as tools to assist people in maintaining a healthy lifestyle or to help medical professionals treat patients. Unfortunately the scale is more often used as a weapon to harm ourselves and others (and the harm is done primarily to women.)
Still, I try to keep an open mind. I've had to since I have spent an awful lot of time helping women try to lose weight safely and keep the weight off. Try as I might, I could not convince most women to just stay off of the scale and let their clothing and how they felt be their guide. I had to make peace with the scale - and with how women used their scales.
When I saw the new scale that will tweet your weight, my first thought was that someone would have a field day creating a Twitter account that aggregated all of the weight tweets and turn them into something ugly - something to be laughed at - something to be embarrassed about.
My next thought was, darn, that would have been awesome way back when I worked at WebMD's Weight Loss Clinic. The possibilities to support each other via Twitter, the conversations that could have been started through those Tweets... that would have made my weekly weigh station so much cooler.
And then I thought the same thing that a lot of you thought, "Oh hell no." Women don't want to tell the world how much they weigh because women have been taught to be embarrassed about their size. Whether they are ten pounds too light or a hundred pounds too heavy or just the right weight for their height, it's incredibly difficult to find women who can tell you how much they weigh without hesitating, gulping, stuttering, lying, or later regretting their honesty. And that's a shame.
A scale that Tweets your weight could be a really useful tool. It could help you find a support group that would stand by you as you strive to be healthier. It could help you stick to your eating and exercise plan. It could be a positive experience for those who are often short on positive experiences.
Too bad we don't live in a world that sees a Tweeting scale as a useful, positive tool. We do live in a world where the jokes begin before the tool is even available.
Engadget:
As our man Cedric Hutchings (the company's general manager) states, "adding this social functionality makes the WiFi scale by Withings the first true flagship of the Internet of Objects." Right. He might have added that the company's given "fail whale" an entirely new meaning.And, since we're talking about things that make us uncomfortable, go and read How much do you weigh? I disagree with Ivy League Insecurities. I'd prefer to live in a world where we weren't embarrassed by these kinds of questions. ~~Denise Flamingo House Happenings
More on Body Image from BlogHer.com
iSurgery iPhone App Makes Plastic Surgery ... Um, Fun?
Optimism + Action = Life Balance
Are Women Just Too Emotional for Mammograms Before 50?
Too Fat for a B.A.? University Adds BMI Requirement for Graduation
